This chapter functions as a bridge between the previous chapters, which dealt with the historical esotericists who have described Babalon (primarily, Aleister Crowley, Jack Parsons, and Kenneth Grant), and my research on the contemporary Thelemic and esoteric milieu, outlined in the subsequent chapters. Based on existing research in the field done by other scholars, the chapter provides a brief outline of the landscape and development of contemporary esotericism, with some reflections on the demographic composition, values, and behavior of contemporary Thelemites and esotericists. Attention is paid to how feminist ideas—which have influenced the broader Neopagan and occult milieus from the 1970s onward—appear to have gained increasing influence within Thelema from at least the 1990s.
Proximal Authority
